World Birth Defects Day 2025

On 3 March 2025, the International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (IF) will celebrate World Birth Defects Day (WBDD)! This year’s theme is #EveryJourneyMatters emphasising that birth defects affect individuals, family, friends, and communities.

Started back in 2015 as an annual event through the initiative of 12 organisations working on birth defects, including IF, this day has now become a movement. The World Birth Defects Day aim is to mobilise resources and commitment to improve birth defects surveillance, research, prevention and care. The first priority is to increase the visibility of birth defects and disseminate what is already known on how to prevent birth defects and how to improve health and quality of life of affected individuals.

We welcome you to join IF in raising awareness on the important topic of birth defects by joining the World Birth Defects Day social media campaign, but also to seize it as an opportunity to raise awareness on Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.

Therefore, we developed a social media toolkit for you to use our collective voice to reach more people through news, messages, and fact sheets. You can actively contribute by sharing key information through your social media channels with friends, colleagues and families. Encourage them to spread awareness too!

Download IF social media toolkit:

• In English
• In Spanish

The 8 Seconds for Birth Defects Challenge

Every year, around 8 million children are born with birth defects globally. Join the 8 seconds for Birth Defects Challenge to raise awareness for the 8 million children affected by birth defects:

• Download and print the 8 Second Challenge sign English | Spanish
• Set up your camera, hold up the 8 Second Challenge sign, and hit record!
• State your name and country of residence if comfortable.
• In 8 seconds, talk about a birth defect you care about. (What is the birth defects? How does this birth defect affect daily life? How has this birth defected impacted you or someone you know?)
• Nominate someone within your social network to complete the 8 Second Challenge with a birth defect they care about. (i.e. family, friends, co-workers, local decision makers, and influential people).
• Once you have a video, upload it to social media using the hashtags #WBDD #WorldBDday #EveryJourneyMatters #AwarenessWithouthStigma